Sometimes Loki could not quite remember why he had set himself down the difficult path of redeeming himself. Each punishment that he had to bear, each scornful look or insult thrown at him that had to be borne without retaliation, each bitter reminder that he was still the second son in every sense, all made him question the wisdom of his own decision.

Yet he did not turn back from it.

He had no other choice now, it had become an ultimatum between execution and redemption. The All-Father had made it clear that only the memory of Frigga's love and hope for him had motivated this last chance, and that any further acts of hostility would not be met with lenience. No more prison, no more trickery, simple execution. Even then, he might have chosen death over bending knee once more to the man who had lied to him for so long, but there had been Thor.

Stupid, bumbling, arrogant, trusting, loving. He had never given up on Loki however many times they had faced one another in battle, no matter what he had said. and, in the end, Loki had been unable to turn his back on that for the final time.

He had not apologised. Nor would he, for that would be more than his pride could bear, but he did the punishments required of him with as much grace as he could muster. It had been the All-Father's idea that he should spend some time on Midgard, serving the mortals, in order to pay restitution to them. It had been Thor's idea for that mortal to be Tony Stark, trusting in his friend (possibly foolishly) not to abuse the power given to him.

Which was how Loki of Asgard came to be once more outside Stark's home, though this time knocking on the door rather than destroying the architecture. He covered his wariness with a mask of calm nonchalance, and held himself in a proud, upright posture as he waited for the door to open.